8:37

Or: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as Or is often translated as “For,” as in the Revised Standard Version. As in 8:36a, this conjunction introduces another reason why a person should deny himself and be ready to die as a disciple (8:34). Here this conjunction introduces a question that is similar to the question in 8:36. So this conjunction probably connects 8:37 to 8:36 and 8:34.

Many English versions do not have a connector here.

Here are some other ways to express the connection:

Indeed (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
To put it another way (Translator’s Reference Translation)

Introduce the verse in your language in a way that clearly communicates the connection with the preceding verse or verses.

what can a man give in exchange for his soul?: This is a rhetorical question that expects a negative answer. Jesus asked this question to emphasize that no one is able to pay enough to buy true life with God. There is nothing that a person can give to God that would be a fair exchange for his eternal life. There are at least two ways to translate this.

• As a rhetorical question. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:

And indeed, what can anyone offer in exchange for his life?

• As a statement. For example:

They could never pay enough to buy true life with God.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize a fact that everyone should know is true.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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